To Find A Home
by DelilahGranger
Summary: Story of one girl's journey to Hogwarts & finding out who she really is. May be pg-13 later on. This is my first fan fic.
1. The Owl

To Have A Home

  
  


Delilah sat on the bench peering anxiously around her. The police had been pretty thick lately & she couldn't afford to be recognized. The last thing she needed was some do-goober realizing that she was the runaway on those posters all over town. Even though she had cut & colored her hair, she was still afraid she looked too much like herself. She would die before she'd go back home. Home...once that had been a happy word. Home with Mum & Dad, all of the sitting around the kitchen table talking & laughing about their day. Until Dad was called away for work & never came home. Delilah has never actually known what her Dad did for a living. She imagined he was a spy or something, since her parents were always so hush-hush about it. 

They had waited over a year for him to return. Then, her mother walked out of the bedroom one morning clutching a letter, no expression on her face. Delilah's first thought was "How did she get a letter at this hour? The postman doesn't run until late afternoon." Then, Delilah caught her mother's eye & suddenly she knew...knew that their hope was for nothing. He wouldn't be coming back...dead, & not even a way to return his body home. She'd never see him again. And life would never be as good as it was.

About a year later, Mum had remarried. Her step-father was a gruff man, nothing like her Dad had been. There was no laughter in the house; no giddy morning conversations full of jokes & teasing. Mum didn't even smile anymore. Delilah never understood why Mum did it. She surely didn't love him. They barely talked. But he had money, something they had lacked ever since Dad had died, & he made sure they had what they needed. But not a stick more. Delilah hated him. He would scream at her when she was sure she was doing nothing wrong. It wasn't her fault that things happened...weird things that no one could explain. Her mother had always just accepted that sometimes her toys would come to her or that the dishes were suddenly washed when no one had been in the kitchen. But not him. It all offended his sensibilities, & he took it out on her. 

As if life could get no worse, Mum had died only a few months after remarrying. Left alone with her step-father, a man who hated her, didn't want her...life became nothing short of a nightmare. She felt like a slave. He made her do all the work around the house, expected his dinner be ready when he arrived home, & gave her no thanks. She wasn't allowed to have friends over; in fact she wasn't allowed to have friends at all. She found herself alone, locked in mutual hatred with her step-father.

Finally, she knew it all had to change. So, one night she packed a small suitcase that had belonged to her father & she snuck out. She walked all that night, trying to get as far away as possible. Finally, as dawn approached & she was exhausted, she found herself standing by a large old drainpipe behind a coffee shop in the next town. She climbed in where no one could see her & settled down to sleep. It had been her home ever since.

Every day since, she had wondered the town, trying to avoid notice. She had managed to scrape by, especially since the coffee shop seemed to toss out a lot of almost new food. She looked quite a bit worse for wear, dirty & a good bit thinner than she had been, but she was free. 

With a look at the sun beginning to set on the horizon, she got up to go "home." A sound like the flapping of wings stopped her. She turned & saw nothing. With a sigh, she walked across town back to the drainpipe. 

Just as she settled down to eat her dinner (tonight she had found three croissants, still in the package) she heard the sound again. She looked toward the entrance to the pipe & there sat a small grey owl. 

"Whoo!" It said, then began making its way toward her.

"What? What do you want?" She was frozen. She wasn't really afraid. More shocked than anything. As the owl came closer, she realized it was carrying a letter. It stopped a foot away from her and held out its leg to her, waiting for her to remove the letter. She reached forward slowly & untied the little bit of string that held the paper. With a hoot, the owl turned & headed out of the pipe. Taking flight as soon as it was clear. 

Delilah looked at the letter. The address on the outside made her eyes bug out a bit.

_Ms. Delilah Grater_

_Drain Pipe behind Ye Olde Coffee Hound_

_London_

  
  


She tore open the letter & read it through quickly. Then, shaking her head a bit, she read it again. Finally, she read it a third time, out loud.

_Dear Ms. Grater,_

_I am pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. Your first term begins September 1st. Please be at the London Station, Platform 9 3/4 on August 30 to meet the train to the school. Your supplies have been taken care of. We look forward to having you join us._

_Minerva McGonagal_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Delilah was in a state of shock....School? Wizards? And she had never heard of Platform 9 3/4. She spent a lot of time at the train station, as people tended to drop a lot of change there, but never had she seen any signs to that one. She pondered it all through the night. By morning, she had decided that she would go. She didn't have money to pay for any school, but they said her supplies were waiting for her, so maybe she didn't need any. She didn't know how or why, but she knew it would be a place to stay, with a warm bed & real food. The worst they could do is send her away, & maybe they'd let her take a bath first.

  
  


To be continued.........


	2. Journey to a New Home

  
  


The day arrived for Delilah to go to Platform 9 3/4. But despite all the people she had asked during the past few days, no one seemed to have a clue what in the world she was talking about. And she was afraid she was bringing too much attention on herself. But she couldn't give up. So, she got up extra early that morning, gathered everything into her suitcase, & walked to the train station, clutching her acceptance letter in her hand. She wished there were some way she could clean up a bit, or at least change shirts. But she had brought little with her when she had left home & what she had managed to get washed she had done in a public lavatory.

She wandered around the train station for a few minutes, trying to imagine what a wizard would look like. But there were always strange people at the train station, so that didn't help. Finally, she stood where she could see both platforms 9 & 10 clearly, despite all the people around. And then she saw them! A family, Mum, Dad & two children with heavy suitcases & an owl in a cage. As she watched them, they walked right into a wall between the two gates & were gone. She blinked a couple of times, not sure if she had really seen properly. Then, figuring she had nothing to lose, she walked slowly toward the wall. Looking over her shoulder to see if anyone was watching her, she stuck out her hand & touched the wall. It went cleanly through! With a deep breath, she took a big step & the rest of her body joined her arm. She stopped & opened her eyes (she didn't remember closing them) & found herself on Platform 9 3/4. All around her she saw children putting their luggage on a beautiful scarlet train, hugging their parents good-bye, or clutching a cage holding an owl or a cat or some other pet she couldn't quite see. 

She looked down at her feet, shuffling them a bit. She felt very out of place. Then she heard a voice behind her.

"Delilah Grater?" The question was asked in a sure, firm voice that startled her. She turned to see who here knew her name & was faced with a ruddy, somewhat handsome boy a few years older than herself. He looked at her & smiled..the first time anyone had smiled at her in a long time. She felt safe. But she still couldn't seem to find her voice, so she simply nodded.

"Oh, good! I was asked to help you out...make sure you got on the train alright & all. I looked for you in the station, but didn't see you. My name's Leon, & I'm the head boy at Hogwarts. C'mon. I'll help you get your stuff on the train." He looked around as if searching for something. Then his eyes fell on her ratty little suitcase. He grinned & said, "Well, it looks as if you don't need much help, but let me carry that for you."

He picked up her suitcase & began carrying it toward the train. Realizing she wasn't with him, he stopped & looked back toward her, then motioned for her to follow, that smile still bright on his face.

It took a few minutes, but once they were settled in the train in a compartment with a couple of other older students, Delilah found the courage to ask some questions.

"Who asked you to help me out? I don't know anyone." She was very confused about everything, but especially that. Who would have sent in her application to school? Surely not her stepfather! And how did the school know where to find her?

"The headmaster sent me a note by owl describing you & asking me to meet you & help you out. It is a bit odd. Most first years get dropped off by their families, even the muggle borns. Are your parents Muggles?" As he asked, Leon tilted his head a bit, as if trying to read the answer from her very mind. The blank look on her face wasn't the answer he expected. Nor was the shrug he got after a few moments silence.

"Do you know what a muggle is?" One of the older girls in the compartment asked, almost a bit too sharply. 

Delilah shrank back into her seat. This was all wrong. She didn't know what was going on...it was like she had crash-landed in a different country & no one spoke her language. She looked at the faces of the people in the compartment with her. Only Leon was still smiling, & the smile now seemed a bit forced. It was almost as bad as being at home again. She looked up at Leon & shook her head. 

"I don't know anything, okay? I just got this letter & it sounded a lot better than how I was living, so I did what it said." She flung the letter out at them, tears welling up in her eyes. 

Leon reached out & took her outstretched hand. "It's okay, Delilah. You're not supposed to know everything. You're new. Right girls?" He looked back at the two girls that shared the compartment with them. The first nodded quickly, while the girl who had spoken was hesitant, until finally she nodded & mumbled something incoherent. "The train ride will last a while, so I'll spend the time telling you about some of the things that the other first years probably already know."

The rest of the train ride was a whirl, as Leon explained to Delilah about Muggles, wizards, & the school itself. When he began discussing the different houses, the two girls, whose names were Lila & Reissa, joined in, talking about the history of the houses & what sort of people were in each one. The sorting ceremony sounded very exciting, & the idea of being part of one of the houses excited her. She would really belong to something then, wouldn't she? They even talked while eating the food that everyone bought from the lady who came round at dinnertime. Leon paid for hers, despite her protests. She couldn't argue very much, as she had no money anyway. Besides, the money they used looked like nothing she had ever seen.

They were still talking when the train came to a stop. The other three quickly grabbed robes out of their luggage & put them on. Delilah looked at them & almost giggled. She had never seen anyone wear anything like that! Then, Leon pulled another out of his bag & handed it to her. 

"Yours. Hurry & put it on or you'll be late. The first years go across the lake on boats." Delilah looked at him, then at the robe he was holding out to her. It was the most beautiful shiny black she had ever seen...it shone like a raven's wings. He took her admiring as hesitance, & started to put it on her himself. She shrugged him off & finished putting it on, trying to get it straightened out a bit, as he had gotten it crooked. Then she followed everyone off the train.

"First years! Over here, please!" The voice boomed loudly over the din of the station. Delilah took one last look at Leon, who nodded at her encouragingly, & then followed the sound of that voice.


	3. Under a Roof & Into a House

Chapter 3: Under a Roof & Into a House

  
  


Huddled among the first years, Delilah gazed up...and up at the man who was calling to make sure everyone was ready. She had never in her life seen anyone so huge! Her stepfather was a large man, but this man dwarfed him! The man saw her staring at him & gave her a smile almost as big as her head. His eyes twinkled with a kindness she hadn't seen from anyone since her Mum had died. Suddenly, she felt a bit safer & began to relax.

The large man, who someone called Hagrid, began showing first years onto small boats that would take them across the lake & to Hogwarts. When all but one of the boats were full, he put Delilah & two others on that one, then hopped aboard himself. Suddenly, the boats began to move. Delilah looked around her. No one was rowing & she didn't hear any motors! Well, if she really was going to learn magic, she had better get used to seeing it in action.

As the boat moved silently across the dark water, Delilah tried, as inconspicuously as she could to wash a little of the dirt off her face with a small handkerchief she found in a pocket of her robe. Over & over she dipped it into the water & scrubbed at her face & hands. By the time they left the boat, she looked nearly sunburnt. Hagrid looked at her again & chuckled slightly.

"Oy, child! Ye look like ye've been on the beach at noon, not on a boat near midnight!" Delilah turned a shade redder from embarrassment as Hagrid motioned to a tall lady standing by the doors of the school. She came over, a look of disapproval on her face. Hagrid motioned to Delilah, & the woman's expression lost some of its heaviness. 

"What have you done, child?" Then she saw the wet handkerchief still in her hands. "Oh, never mind. I think I understand. Well, you can't go to the sorting looking like that." The woman waved her wand a bit & Delilah's face felt a bit cooler & less raw. Then the woman made a quick job of trying to tame the girl's hair before turning back to the rest of the first years & telling them to line up for their sorting. Delilah was too embarrassed to listen. Everything she did seemed wrong. She was trying so hard to blend in that she kept making herself stick out worse.

The first year students began moving single file into the Great Hall. Delilah felt that the name wasn't enough to describe the room they were entering. She had never seen anything so immense & beautiful in her whole life. It was like all the churches in England combined, as far as space went. She felt swallowed, but at the same time enfolded within the smiles of the people the passed; older students sitting at their house tables. As she passed one table, she saw Leon giving her a thumbs up & she smiled back at him, grateful for at least one familiar face.

Lining up in front of everyone in the hall, just in front of the head table, the first years looked nervous. Up & down the line, girls & boys were fidgeting; shuffling their feet & gazing around nervously. Some smiled shyly at an older student who resembled them, probably an older brother or sister. Delilah wished she had family here. Delilah wished she had family _anywhere_ for the matter. The lady who had cooled her face (what had she done?) stood before everyone as a small stool & an old hat were set down beside her. Delilah remembered Leon & the others telling her about the Sorting Hat, but she still was a little scared. She watched as, one by one, names were called & first years were sorted. As a student would head to their house table, cheers would greet them & they would be pulled into a seat, automatically looking as if they belonged there.

"Finch, Arland" 

Delilah watched the small boy with a snide look sit down on the stool & smash the hat down on his head. He was so tiny that it went fully over his face & with little hesitation the hat called out "Slytherin!" Delilah nodded. He looked like the other people at that table. Determined...maybe a bit too determined. A few more names were called as she pondered the different houses, wondering where she would belong.

Grater, Delilah"

Delilah jumped as her name was called & walked toward the stool. She picked the hat up gingerly & laid it on her head. It slid down over her eyes so that she couldn't see the hall anymore. Then she heard a voice.

"You are a tough one."

"Huh?" Delilah hoped she hadn't spoken out loud. Everyone would think she was nuts.

"Don't worry...just think your answers. Why do you want to learn magic?"

"Um...well...so that my stepfather can't hurt me anymore."

"You want to get him back, do you?"

"Yes. Of course I do. He's horrible! What else do I have to do? He has to pay for making me & my Mum unhappy. He has to!" Delilah squirmed in her seat. Every time she thought about him, she got angry. She wanted him to hurt the way he had hurt her.

"Then you make the choice for me." The voice sounded almost sad. "You would have made a great Ravenclaw, though."

Then Delilah heard the voice boom out, "Slytherin!" She took off the hat, shocked. Slytherin? Slytherin? Why? She walked over to the table, let the cheering crowd settle her in a chair. Her feet felt like lead, so she was thankful for the help. She looked back across at Leon. He wasn't smiling quite so brightly at her now. He has told her on the Express what he thought of Slytherin.

"They're not all bad, now. I'm not saying that. But I've never had a Slytherin do anything nice for me. And I've taken more harm than good from them. That's all." His voice sounded in her head. As the Sorting continued, she found herself quietly answering questions being tossed at her from the other members of Slytherin; of _her_ house. She had to remember that now. This was her house. She belonged here. Despite her shock, she still felt a little glow of happiness. At least now she belonged somewhere. She looked around & smiled at her housemates. 


	4. Belonging

Chapter 4: Belonging  
  


Disclaimer (Since I have yet to make one) Hogwarts & it's ceremonies, etc. are the creation & property of J.K. Rowling. Delilah, however, is the product of my own feeble mind.  
  


When the Sorting was over, the headmaster, Dumbledore, rose & gave a short flowery speech. Then, with a wave of his wand, food appeared on everyone's plates, with baskets & platters of more on every table. Delilah was aghast. She had never seen so much food. She immediately dug into her plate. This was the first real meal she had eaten since running away. How long had it been? Days had run together since she had been hiding, and it had been nearly three months since she had tossed the suitcase out the window & jumped after it. She even tried the foods that looked odd to her, & found that months of living on nothing had made her a far from picky eater. She was so busy eating that she had finished her third plate before she noticed the small note sticking out from under her plate. She unfolded it, trying to hide it form the others at the table. Holding it low on her lap, she read it.

"Ms. Grater,

Please be so kind as to stay after the festivities are over. I have something to give you & I may also be able to answer some of your questions.

Albus Dumbledore"

Delilah frowned at the note. What questions could he possible think she had? And what did he have for her? She began to toss ideas around in her head, but was interrupted by another first year who had been seated to her right.

"Hello. I'm Lissy Cartwright." Delilah looked up & was faced with a slightly too tall & rather plump girl. The look on her face was warm & open, though, so Delilah smiled & introduced herself.

"I'm so excited to be here. I've dreamed of getting into Hogwarts ever since I was little. Listening to all of my parents' stories just made it all sound so wonderful. Don't you think it's wonderful?" The girl talked quickly, like a small rabid dog. Despite that, Delilah found herself liking the girl. She seemed very, well...likable. 

"Yes, it does seem wonderful. What sort of stories did your parents tell you? Were they in Slytherin, too?"

Lissy nodded a bit too vigorously. "Oh, yes! Both of them were in Slytherin, so I knew I probably would be, too." Lissy stopped for a moment, as if in thought. "I'm sorry I'm so hyper. I'm really not like this. Really. I'm just so...excited! Geez, do I feel like a moron." She grimaced a bit as she noticed that some of the other Slytherins were snickering in her direction. 

"That's okay. I don't mind. I'm sure we're all excited. " Delilah & Lissy talked throughout the meal, although Lissy did most of the talking. Dessert passed in a blur, but Delilah was glad that Lissy talked so much. It left her free to eat lots of dessert. 

Suddenly, silence fell over the hall. Dumbledore & all the teachers at the head table had stood. Apparently, this was the signal for everyone to begin filing out of the Great Hall. The Prefect of Slytherin called for all first years to follow him. Delilah looked down to make sure she still had the note, just in case she needed to justify staying. The Prefect didn't seem to think twice about her staying, though. She thought it odd until she noticed a small scrap of paper next to his plate. He must have known. Lissy, however, didn't.

"Aren't you coming? You won't know how to get to our common room if you don't come with us! You don't want to get lost!"

"It will be all right. It's been taken care of." The voice behind them made both girls jump. They turned in unison & came face to face with the Slytherin Prefect. "I'll be coming back to get you in a little while, Grater. Don't try to wander off without me. I don't want to spend my night searching for a lost first year." He took Lissy gently by the arm & led her to the end of the line of Slytherin first years. Other groups were being led out by their Prefects, many with expressions of awe. Many seemed trying to see everything all at once. Delilah wondered if she looked like that & giggled a bit.

"Something wrong, Delilah?" It was Leon. She smiled at him, relieved he had stopped to talk to her. She was afraid he wouldn't after her sorting.

"No. I got a note to wait here. The headmaster wants a few words with me." She shrugged. She still wondered what he could possibly have for her. 

"Just checking. If you need anything, just ask me. I'll help you all I can." He saw the uncertainty on her face, and added, "You're still the same person you were before you were sorted. I like you, Delilah. And I'm going to be watching your back. Remember, I'm here for you." Then he turned & walked out, leaving Delilah blushing furiously. She knew he hadn't meant it like that. After all, he was probably five or six years older than her. But it still made her happy to hear him say it.

Delilah got tired of standing & sat back down at her table. She jumped a bit when she realized that the dishes & everything had been cleared from the table. She hadn't seen anyone clear them, & no one could have gotten everything cleaned up that fast! A few minutes passed & she began to wonder if the note had been a joke. Finally, she decided to get up & have a look around. Surely she wouldn't get lost as easily as that. 

"Ms. Grater, I'm afraid you had given up on me." 

"Oh, no sir! I was just stretching my legs." "What a lame lie", she thought to herself.

"Ah, good. Well, first let me give you what I've been holding for you all this time. Then you can ask me whatever questions you have & I'll answer them as best I can." He hesitated, then pulled something out of his robe. He held it out to her & Delilah simply stared at her. It looked like a nicely polished stick to her. She didn't understand.

"Dear girl, this was your father's wand."


	5. Her Father's Eyes

To Find a Home Chapter 5: Her Father's Eyes

  
  


"My father's wand? But why would my father have a wand? Was he a wizard?" Delilah was shocked & couldn't seem to get anything out properly.

Dumbledore's eyes crinkled as he smiled at her. "Yes, Delilah, your father was a wizard. Your eyes have the same light in them as his did...I'll never forget the day he graduated from Hogwarts. He promised me then, as he walked out the door, that he would find a way to defeat dark wizards without stooping to their level." Dumbledore sighed, seeming a bit lost in his own recollection. 

"I'm sorry. I don't understand. He went to Hogwarts? Please tell me about him. How did he die? No one ever told me. I never even got to see him again...not even at the funeral. All we had was a picture hanging at the front of the room." Delilah had a million questions in her mind, but that was the one that had truly bothered her. How had he died? Why was there no body...no proof that he was gone. 

"Oh. Yes, of course. Your mother never told you, then? I suppose I can understand. By the time he died, your father had removed himself from wizarding society so deeply that few remembered him. He said it was important for his research that he be forgotten, so he could work in peace. You see, your father devoted his life to finding counterspells & such to protect against the workings of dark wizards. You see, he had lost some family members to attacks made by that sort, & he didn't want to see it happen to anyone else."

"Yes," Delilah interrupted, "but how did he die? Please, I really want to know."

"We thought he had been forgotten & well hidden. He only had contact with the head of research at the Ministry of Magic & with me. No one else had even heard his name in more than ten years. But someone must have remembered the vow he made while he was still here. None of us realized that the death eaters were hunting for him."

"Death eaters? What's a death eater?" Delilah's nose was crinkled up. It certainly didn't sound like anything she'd want to meet.

"A death eater is a dark wizard or witch, one of a group who follow Lord Voldemort, the most powerful & ruthless dark wizard in recent memory. The last thing he needed was your father finishing any part of his research. And he was very close to some important breakthroughs. He had managed to revive a fly that had been killed with one of the less serious curses used by the death eaters. I had just received a note from him about it that morning." Dumbledore sighed & his bushy eyebrows sagged a bit as he looked at Delilah. "I wish I had looked at that note a little closer. After I heard what had happened, I sat & stared at that note for a couple of hours, until it hit me that the paper was a totally different sort from what your father used. A couple of spells later, I discovered that the letter was a copy. His owl had been intercepted! That must be how they found him. The very day he wrote that letter to me a group of death eaters broke into his laboratory. Apparently, your father tried to counter the curse that one of them cast at him & the two spells must have mixed somehow. Both men died instantly; both turned into stone frogs." Dumbledore dabbed at the corner of his eye with a handkerchief. 

Delilah sat looking at him in a mix of disbelief & horror. "A stone frog? That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard! My father was turned into a stone frog?" She was angry...the old man had led her on, telling her this stupid story. She glared at him, her hands curled into fists at her sides, debating how many punches she could get in before he restrained her.

Dumbledore dug into his pocket & pulled out a large frog statue. It looked like marble & was as large as Dumbledore's hand. "Child, I am serious. Your mother didn't want to see it, so I have kept it for you. I thought you might want it. No one has been allowed to work any spells of any sort on him. We used the other fellow for tests & such, but left your father alone out of respect. I know it sounds like an outlandish story, but it is true." Dumbledore stood there, still holding the wand in one hand & the stone frog in the other.

"No. That is not my father! This is crazy!"

"At least take the wand, Delilah. It was his. He would want you to have it."

Delilah reached forward gingerly & took the wand from him, avoiding even looking at the frog. When she waved the wand, small sparks shot out of it. She stared at it, then waved it again, with the same effect.

"Wonderful! See, it knows you. Wands choose whom they will work best for, after all. I had hoped that your father's wand would respond to you." His face lost a little of his sadness. "I'll keep this in my office until you decide you want it." Dumbledore tucked the frog back into a pocket within his robes. 

Behind her, Delilah heard someone clear their throat. "Ah, good. Here's Arnold to take you to your common room." Delilah looked & saw that the Slytherin prefect was standing at the entrance to the Great Hall. "If you have any more questions, feel free to come talk to me. I'm usually easy to find."

Delilah nodded numbly & walked over to where Arnold was waiting for her. The journey to the Slytherin tower went by almost unnoticed; her legs worked automatically. Her mind was racing. She still couldn't believe the story Dumbledore had told her. But why would he lie to her? She had heard nothing but praise for him from everyone she spoke to. She gripped her father's wand in her hand & wished there were some way it could talk to her & tell her the truth of that night.


End file.
